Storage of homemade bread?

[Tenaj]

If you bake bread regularly, how do you store it.  I've been using ziplock bags but I hate washing them and it gets expensive.  Plus last week I had two loaves mold .   Moisture got trapped in there . . 

Anyway, any economical, perhaps, reusable, ideas that will keep a loaf at least for a few days as fresh as possible?

[Amira]

I bake four loaves at a time and put them in the freezer, except for the one we’re currently eating.  That one goes in a bread bag, like you buy bread in at the store, that I reuse many times without washing it. I just shake the crumbs out of the bag.  I often move to very different climates and this system is the only one that has consistently worked for me.  The bread bag keeps it from drying out, but isn’t so airtight that moisture gets trapped in there (and not washing the bag every time helps to avoid moisture too).

[KungFuPanda]

I have a few methods. 

Make one loaf.

Make dough for two then bake one and freeze one.

Make sourdough because it lasts much longer.

Cool loaf completely before putting in a bread bag.

Bake two loaves, slice the second, and store in the fridge or freezer.

I buy the bread bags with the twist ties.  I’d open the bag if I saw condensation.

ETA: I forgot about no knead bread where you keep the dough in the fridge and only bake what you’ll use that day. 

Edited November 14, 2018 by KungFuPanda

[prairiewindmomma]

https://www.amazon.com/Bread-Bags-Ties-Reusable-Clear/dp/B00JH73LAS

I bought bags like these at an Amish store. 

I haven't found a bread box I love yet.

[regentrude]

I store bread in a metal bread box. If I have more than one loaf, I freeze one.

[almondbutterandjelly]

I use this and keep it in the fridge:

https://smile.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Clearly-Fresh-Keeper/dp/B00004RDCR/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1542237006&sr=8-25&keywords=bread+machine+loaf+container

btw, the load can be turned sideways and those plastic slots used as a slicing guide.

Here's a link with a better picture of the slicing guide part:

https://smile.amazon.com/KCBREADKEEPER-Kitchencraft-Bread-Keeper-Expanding/dp/B000YJDIOM/ref=pd_day0_hl_79_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000YJDIOM&pd_rd_r=794da1ec-e862-11e8-8e2e-49ff07944d9e&pd_rd_w=BIVdF&pd_rd_wg=Bri3E&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=88MV9PA7TCW0PASCZQMC&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=88MV9PA7TCW0PASCZQMC

Edited November 14, 2018 by perkybunch

[marbel]

I bake two loaves at a time. One gets devoured pretty quickly. The other gets sliced as soon as it's cool, and goes in a ziplock in the freezer. That way we can bring out just what we need. I used to freeze whole loaves but then I would end up losing some if we just weren't in the mood to eat it all right away. 

Reusing ziplocks that had bread in them is no big deal to me. If needed I give a quick rinse, then hang upside down in the laundry room. 

[Katy]

Side question, but how do you have leftover homemade bread?  Even if I make multiple loaves of the stuff with chickpea flour it doesn't last 24 hours without being scarfed in our house.

[sarahbobeara]

I use the box of 1000 clear plastic bags linked from Amazon above. I use a long Pullman loaf pan (because we like our bread to fit our cheese lol) and getting the long version of those bags was the only thing that would work. Ziploc bags would not close because the loaf was just too long. It seemed silly to buy a box of 1000 but I have been using them for 3 years now and I'd say we have...80% of the box left. That's making at least 2 loaves a week. 

And for some reason we've never had a problem with our homemade bread molding. For a science experiment, my son needed a mold sample and set some bread out for a week at room temperature. No mold! I've always had better luck with homemade bread than store bought bread as far as resisting mold. 

[Rachel]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

Side question, but how do you have leftover homemade bread?  Even if I make multiple loaves of the stuff with chickpea flour it doesn't last 24 hours without being scarfed in our house.

I was wondering the same thing! I never bake more than two loaves at a time though.

[prairiewindmomma]

I make five 1# loaves at a time. That usually gives me 48 hours between baking.

My grandmother made seven loaves at a time (2 ovens) and literally made daily bread....but she had a horde of teen boys. I only have two. 

[Tenaj]

I made four loaves last Thurs. But then bought bagels at the store on Saturday and had tacos on Saturday night.  Anyway, too much leftover taco stuff left my bread sitting and everyone ate bagels instead of toast.  Usually we do go through them in two days!

I ordered some bags from Amazon yesterday.

[Amber in SJ]

I have 2 of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Solutions-Progressive-GBK-8-Adjustable-Expandable/dp/B001BB2LMM/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1542349605&sr=1-5&keywords=bread+keeper

If I bake more than 2 loaves at a time I freeze the "extras"

Amber in SJ